Adjustable golf club



April 15, 1952 J. VERDI-:REER 2,593,368

ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB Original Filed Sept. 5, 1945.

.NVENTUR JOSEP--LVERDERBER ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1952 ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB Joseph Verderber, Cleveland, Ohio Original application September 5, 1945, Serial No.

614,461. Divided and this application November 18, 1948, Serial No. 60,700.

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to golf clubs, but has reference more particularly to golf clubs having angularly adjustable heads and to means for adjusting said heads. This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 614,461, filed September 5, 1945, now Patent No. 2,455,150, for an improvement in golf clubs.

The present invention has as its primary object the provision of improved means for locking the head of the club in adjusted position, such means including coacting serrations or teeth on the shank and head which extend over a substantial area of the shank and head.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for locking the head and shank together, which means ls characterized by a minimum number of easily manufactured parts, and which is devoid of sliding or loose parts or elements which are likely to become lost or create noise or vibration.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf club of the character described, in which the locking means or elements are readily en gaged or disengaged upon only a slight relative movement between the head and shank.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of a golf club embodying the features of my invention, certain parts thereof being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary oi'osssectional view, taken online 2-2 of Fig. l.

. Fig. 3 is a side elevational View oi one or the head locking members shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, but with the head lockingY member removed for clarity.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of the head locking member shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1-3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the golf club includes a head 92 having a bore |22 extending therethrough. The head 92 is mounted on the shank portion 8D of a hosel 23 which, in turn, is secured to a shaft (not shown). The shank 80 of the club is formed to provide a reduced portion 8|, a portion 82 of square cross-section, a round portion 83, a second portion 84 of square cross-section and an end portion 85 which is threaded. The junction of the portions 8| and 82 forms a stop shoulder 88, and the junction of the portions 83 and 84 forms a stop shoulder 8l.

Mounted on the portion 82 of the shank 89, and bearing against the stop 8E, is a :frustoconical shaped head locking member 88 having splines or serrations 89 extending along its tapered outer surface. The splines 89 are normally in mesh or interlocked engagement with splines or serrations 99 on the inner face of a member 9! which may be formed as an integral part of the head 92 or, preferably, may be keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the head within the bore |22.

Mounted on the portion 84 of the shank 8D, and bearing against the stop 81, is a frustoconical head locking member 93 which is similar to the member 88 and has splines or serrations 94 formed thereon. The splines 94 are normally in mesh or interlocked engagement with splines or serrations 95 on the inner face of a member 96, which, in this case, is rigidly secured to the head 92 by means of a set screw 91. It 'will be understood, however, that the member 96,. under certain conditions, may be formed integrally with the head 92.

The member 93 is secured against axial dis placement from the shank by means of a nut 98 which is threadedly secured to the portion 85 of the shank 80.

A washer 99 is mounted on the portion 83 of the shank and is normally in abutment with one end of the member 96, being retained in such abutment by means of a compression coil spring H30, which is mounted on the portion 83 of the shank, between the washer 99 and one end. of the member 88.

In Fig. 1 the head is shown in locked engagement with the shank 88, due to the inter-locked engagement of the members 88 and 93 with the members 9| and 96, respectively.

When it is desired to change or adjust the angularity of the head 82 relatively to shank 80, it is only necessary to push the head to the right from the position shown in Fig. l. This causes the member 98 to move out of locked engagement with the member 93, and the member 9| to move out of locked engagement with the member 88 and at the same time the washer 99 causes the spring Iiil to be compressed. Thereafter the head may be rotated to any desired position of relative angularity and then released, thereby permitting the spring IBIJ to return the head to its locked position.

In the modified form of my invention, shown in Figs. 4-6 of the drawings, the shank portion |0| of the hosel |25 is similarly contained within the bore |24 of a club head |13. The shank I0| is formed to provide a reduced portion |02, a portion |03 of square cross-section, a round portion |04, a second portion |05 of square cross-section, and an end portion |06 which is threaded. The junction of the portions |02 and |03 forms a stop shoulder |01, and the junction of the portions |04 and |05 forms a stop shoulder |08.

Mounted on the portion |03 of the shank IOI and bearing against the stop |01 is a frustoconical shaped head-locking member |09 having splines or serrations extending along its tapered outer surface. The splines or serrations are normally in mesh or interlocked engagement with splines or serrations III on the inner face of a member ||2, which may be formed as an integral part of the head |I3 or may be keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the head.

Mounted on the portion of the shank |0| and bearing against the stop |08, is a frustoconical head-locking member I|4 which is similar to the member |09 and has splines or serrations ||5. The splines |I5 are normally in mesh or interlocked engagement With splines or serrations IIB formed on the inner face of a member II'I which, in this case, is rigidly secured to the on the head 92 when the club is swung would tend to increase the effectiveness of the interlocking action.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided an adjustable golf club head consisting of a minimum number of easily manufactured parts which is readily engaged or disengaged upon a very slight relative movement between the head and the shank.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herein shown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or 'the scope of the subjoined claims.

` gent serrations provided circumferentially interhead I I3 by means of a set screw I I8, but which,

under certain conditions, may be formed integrally with the head I3.

The member ||4 is secured against axial displacement from the shank I0| by means of a nut I I9 which is threadedly secured to the portion |06 of the shank.

A washer |20 is mounted on the portion |04 of the shank and is normally maintained in abutment with one end of Athe member I I2, being retained in such abutment by means of a compression coil spring I2I. The spring |2| is mounted on the portion |04 of the shank between the washer |20 and one end of the member I I4.

In Fig. 4, the head ||3 is shown in locked engagement with the shank |I| due to the interlocked engagement of the members |09 and ||4 with the members ||2 and |I'| respectively, it being noted that all of these members are in a position which is the reverse of the position of the corresponding members in the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to change or adjust the angularity of the head relatively to the shaft, it is only necessary to pull the club head I I 3 to the -left from the position shown in Fig. 4. AThis causes the-members |I2 and III to move out of locked engagement with the members |09 and I I4 respectively, and at the same time, the washer |20 causes the spring I2I to be compressed. Thereafter, the head may be rotated to any desired position of relative angularity and released, whereupon the spring |2| will return the head to its locked position.

Although, in the normal swing of the club, there is a slight centrifugal elect tending to urge the club head |I3 in a direction away from the hosel |25, the spring |2| is of sufficient strength to overcome this tendency and no unauthorized unlocking of the club head will occur. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the unlocking movement is, of course, in a direction toward the hosel |23 and the eiect of the slight centrifugal force file of this patent:

nally thereof, a pair of conical locking members having external circumferential serrations secured to said shank in longitudinally spaced relationship coextensive with said serrations on said head and parallel thereto, and a compression spring mounted on said shank and having one end thereof seated against one of said members and the other end thereof abutting said head whereby to yieldably maintain the serrations on said head in nested interlocked engagement with the serrations on said shank at selected positions of angularity of said head relatively to said shank.

2. A golf club comprising a shaft, a shank extending therefrom, a head slidably mounted on said shank, a conical serrated lockingpmember removably secured to said shank, a second conical serrated locking member mounted on said shank in longitudinally spaced relationship to said first locking member, locking elements having ser- -rated conical inner surfaces complementary to vsaid locking members secured to said head, and

spring means abutting one of said members and engaging said head to urge said locking elements into interlocking engagement with said locking members, the taper on said members being in a direction to limit movement of said head away from said shaft.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring means is disposed intermediate said locking members.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 2wherein said locking elements are removably secured to said head.

JOSEPH VERDERBER;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Nilson Sept. 4,1945 

